


I know it breaks your heart

by FanFicReader01



Series: Peculiar encounters of a taxi driver [10]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Bad life decisions, Body Horror, Bromance, College, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Regret, Slice of Life, Songfic, Tragedy, Violence, friends - Freeform, implied oc/oc - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 01:51:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17633819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanFicReader01/pseuds/FanFicReader01
Summary: This oneshot delves deeper into the history between Karlus and Mister Blue from the Strange Trails storySelf indulgent fanfic for my OCs





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The song is called 'Closer' by the Marlboro Smokers ft Halsey (80s Remix)
> 
> I fell in love with this sappy song and had to write a fic for it.

**Hey, I was doing just fine before I met you**

**I drink too much and that's an issue**

**But I'm OK**

**Hey, you tell your friends it was nice to meet them**

**But I hope I never see them**

**Again**

 

I wasn’t sure what to think of my new roommate. He was loud, he was outgoing. He was a lot of things I was not. Most of all, he was _present_. He moved in during the final days of summer before college would start. Immediately he introduced himself to me. I couldn’t even ask why there was a stranger in my room.

 “I’m Karlus Santós, your new roommate!” he firmly shook my hand. The man had wild, dark curly hair with almost golden eyes in the middle of his dark face.

 “And why are you here _now_?” I failed to introduce myself in response.

“I thought it’d be better if I got to know my roomie beforehand. Did you know we’ll even take the same classes?” Karlus replied enthusiastically. I rolled my eyes.

 “Hooray. You seem to be a loud guy, you know?”

“Really?” Karlus was jumpy and that agitated me. I was actually going to spend the afternoon in my room, reading a book or something while listening to my favourite music but apparently those plans got cancelled.

 “Yeah. I think we’ll get along just fine as long as you just… don’t bother me,” I fake smiled at him before quickly shoving the bedroom door into his face, locking myself up in my room.

 “Nice to meet you too!” Karlus exclaimed before he went silent.

 

***

 

“Roomie? Roomie?”

I deeply inhaled and prepared myself before opening the door to let Karlus in.

 “You’re awake already?!” His expression made me chuckle.

“Yeah. I’m exercising for college again. Else I know I’m a zombie in the upcoming days.”

 “Such determination, man! You want to go for a jog then?” Karlus thudded down on my bed, totally ignoring my personal space.

 “Hey, we know each other for less than 24 hours so please… _stay off my bed_ ,” I warned him.

Karlus quickly jumped up and apologized. Then he repeated his question.

 “Alright then. A quick run around the block doesn’t hurt anybody,” I replied.

“Great! I’ll wait outside!”

Finally, some breathing space. I quickly slipped into my sportswear before going outside where Karlus was already stretching.

 “Hey, roomie!”

“I have a name, you know?”

 “You never told me,” he pouted.

“It’s Hob.” 

 

***

 

Throughout the weeks Karlus and I got to know each other better. My roommate finally seemed to realize what ‘personal space’ meant and didn’t bother me as much as he used to.

We often were in the same group for school and during lunch we ate together. It’s how we grew closer. Dare I say we actually became great friends.

 

***

 

During the first summer I got a student job at the local garage. I was only allowed to wash the cars and park them into the garage for repair. But I was okay with that. It was a fun, easy job to do and I got to drive in some very interesting vehicles.

Sometimes Karlus would visit me at my job, teasing me. Too bad that fooling around too much and being cocky about it, got me fired in the end.

 “One day I’ll have my own garage,” I said.

Karlus gave me this look. _Oh_ , said his mouth without a word coming out of it.

 “Then why are you in college?”

To that, I didn’t have a real answer. “Because that’s what expected of me.”

 

***

 

“Hey, Blue?”

 “Stop calling me that,” I snorted.

“But you’re always wearing the same blue shirts! Anyway, I saw there was a gig of Hammer in a couple of months in our city!”

 “Say what?” I rolled my chair to his side of the study room and looked at the website. “Whoa.”

“You wanna go?”

 “Of course!” I excitedly said. Quickly I looked through my agenda and saw that it was possible. “I’ll order tickets immediately.” I lowered my gaze and looked back to Karlus. “Wanna tag along?”

 “I thought you’d never asked!”

 

***

 

After that gig, many more followed where it was possible. I drove. Karlus drove. We both partied and sang along to our favourite songs. He was obsessed with Writers of Summer, I was a hard-core fan of Hammer. And though the bands we listened to were almost opposites, we loved to attend both together.

 “We have a good life, Blue,” Karlus smiled at me while I drove us back home.

I smiled and nodded. I no longer complained about him calling me Blue. It was a nickname that actually _did_ fit me and now it stuck with me. I was Blue.

 “I hope we’ll remain friends after college too,” Karlus continued, now staring out of the window.

That comment made me uncomfortable. I clutched my fingers firmer around the wheel.

 “Yeah.”

**I know it breaks your heart**

**Moved to the city in a broke-down car**

**And four years, no calls**

**Now you're looking pretty in a hotel bar**

**And I, I, I, I, I can't stop**

**No, I, I, I, I, I can't stop**

 

For my internship and Master year I had to move to another city. That meant leaving Karlus behind.

He cried when we parted ways so I hugged him.

 “I’m going to miss you too,” I muttered.

“I’ll think of you,” Karlus  wiped away his tears.

 

The first days in a foreign city were weird and lonely. But through my friendship with Karlus I had loosened up. I had become more outgoing and talkative. Sarcasm and dirty humour were things I inherited from Karlus too.

 Soon I made new friends and life went on. I still chatted a lot with Karlus and we still shared awkward date stories.

 “Of course you have to text her back if you promised so. Idiot.”

“Learned from the best,” I sarcastically replied.

I could imagine Karlus rolling his eyes to that and that made me laugh. Yes, I missed him too.

 

***

 

The year flew by and we both got our Master degree. That’s when our paths really split up. I didn’t really know what Karlus was up to in that time, but I ended up in the tech industry.

I’ve did some odd jobs but none were satisfying. So that was my life: hopping jobs. Getting fired, endless nights off scrolling through vacancies.

Eventually I grew tired of it and I remembered what I truly loved: cars. I thought back of my college days. That was a decade ago. Man, I felt old.

 The choice to move out once more was an impulsive decision. But I couldn’t care less. There was not much to lose for me.

I struck up a deal with some shifty car dealer but through my excitement I was blinded.

And so I ended up in an old house. Stubborn as I could be, I repaired the shitty building till everything was right again.

 

During that time, I encountered the ghost children. A whole bunch of them lived here and reluctantly I became their dad. I never expected myself to have kids as a _single_ parent.

 But hey, I got my garage. The job wasn’t giving me as much income as I expected but I made the best of it. I could finally say I settled down, had kids against all odds, and owned a nice house with a decent job.

 

***

 

Life was fine and then my old friend stood on my doorstep one day. The children hid in their room when Karlus stepped inside. Poor things, always afraid of new visitors crossing the floor.

 “Karlus! What a lovely surprise!”

“I know right!” he hugged me and I felt the nostalgia sneak into my skin.

 “How did you find me?” I changed phone numbers and didn’t send Karlus any message at all. I started to feel guilty about it but Karlus didn’t seem to think the same.

“I have my ways. It wasn’t easy. But damn, you live in a neat little neighbourhood!”

We went to the kitchen where I poured him a cup of coffee. I didn’t think he’d leave soon. After all, there were a lot of things to catch up to.

 

\--

 

I told Karlus about the children. It went real silent after that. I wondered if Karlus thought I’d gone crazy but then he gave me a reassuring smile.

 “I believe you, Blue.”

“The children and everyone in this town call me Mister Blue,” I smirked. That made my friend laugh.

 “I see, I see. You’ve become more confident. I like that. But back to the kids, I believe you for real. To be honest, I’ve had my share of supernatural encounters as well.”

 “Really? Tell me all about it!”

 

Karlus then told me about the Eye Stealers. He didn’t call them Eye Stealers though.

 The Blind Ones, that’s what he called them.

He told me that his old life didn’t give him the satisfaction and adventure he needed. He told me how he felt pressured by our society. And how he really needed to escape this reality by merging with another one. It all sounded so… not like Karlus.

I felt stunned. I didn’t know what to say. Suddenly I feared he might’ve been brainwashed by some cult. I had to be sure.

 “And you really think being with these… blind folks or whatever, will help that?”

My friend nodded with confidence. “Yes. They have refreshing perspectives on life. And despite being blind, they’re strong. I want to be like that. You see, I-, I never confessed this to you, but I’ve got beat up a few times the past decade.”

 “Oh, I’m so sorry for you,” I muttered. I never had to deal with homophobia but I could only imagine what my friend had to go through.

 “I don’t want to be weak anymore. I want to be able to be my truest self.”

“I see, I hope you’ll find the right way then,” I encouraged him. It’s all I could do and Karlus was a full fletched adult as well. I trusted him in his decisions.

 “Thank you, Hob. Your words mean the world to me still.”

 

\--

 

Of course, Karlus words didn’t leave me that easily. I looked up what the whole Blind Ones thing was about. What I found put me in shock. I realized that Eye Stealers truly were monsters.

The name itself already suggested that but still. Some cruel images I saw of the victims they created, made my stomach twist.

 “Papa, you’re alright?” the voice of one of the kids startled me. It was Joshua.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I was just looking up the term my friend used and-”

 “He’s already becoming one,” Joshua murmured.

“What?”

 Joshua wanted to leave but I called him back. “Joshua, wait! What did you say? Did you eavesdrop on my conversation with Karlus?”

 The kid kept his eyes fixed on the floor, ignoring my question. I stepped up and kneeled in front of them.

 “Listen, Joshua. It’s okay but you really shouldn’t’ve have eavesdrop. That’s not nice of anyone to do. So promise you won’t do that again, okay?”

Joshua nodded. “B-But that mister scared us. All of us.”

 “Why? He’s my childhood friend,” I countered.

“But he is becoming that word he said. A Blind One. Or as we know those creatures: Eye Stealers.”

I gulped. I knew Joshua was sensitive to more supernatural activity around them than just fellow ghosts.

 “You mean?”

“I’m afraid your friend already mingled with the Stealers before. He is going to be one, whether you like it or not.”

 “T-then I have to stop him.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big Gay Vibes

**So, baby, pull me closer**

**In the back seat of your Rover**

**That I know you can't afford**

**Bite that tattoo on your shoulder**

**Pull the sheets right off the corner**

**Of that mattress that you stole**

**From your roommate back in Boulder**

**We ain't ever getting older**

_“I need to tell you something important.”_

 

That’s what I told Blue when I desperately wanted to see him again. He promised to pick me up as soon as he’d have spare time. Much to my luck, Blue was in the city this weekend for his intern. I was waiting outside when I saw him race across the corner. There was a worried look on his face when I stepped in.

 “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, Blue. Just… Just drive.”

 “Where to?”

“Anywhere. I just need some air and a place far from here,” I muttered. Blue nodded and we drove to the abandoned supermarket’s parking lot. This place held great significance to us. Especially during the early college days.

It’s where we spend most of our time when we felt down and the world seemed to hate us and college was too harsh on us. It was the place to cry over broken hearts and share equally bad pick-up lines that led to disastrous dates later on.

 

Finally the engine stopped and it was only the two of us. I felt nervous as hell. I kept telling myself I was ready to tell him but I clearly wasn’t.

Blue wasn’t saying anything, only giving me a questionable look. He looked so cute when confused and concerned.

 “What did you want to tell me, Karlus?”

“Eh… Well, you know… I’m eh,” I was stumbling and tumbling and my head started to colour red. Blue was frowning at me. He still didn’t understand, did he? He still didn’t see it, huh?

 “I wanted to tell you I really miss you,” I said in one exhale.

It left Blue dumbfounded. His face quickly turned neutral again. Then he smiled at me. “Oh, hehe. I miss you too, Karlus. I mean, we’re best friends, right?”

 I quickly nodded.

I readied myself to add more to my lame start. “But are we really _just_ best friends?”

 “Yes, of course?!” Blue seemed to be oblivious. His expression then changed into a frown again.

“Or… Or do you mean our friendship is over?”

 “What?! No! Absolutely not!” I shrieked almost in utter shock. “We _are_ best friends. It- it’s just that I- that I…”

I lowered my eyes and looked away from his dark eyes.

 “It’s just that I want us to be more. You know, more than just friends. More than besties.”

“You mean you want us to be…”

A heavy silence fell and none of us knew what to say to get the conversation rolling again.

 “ _Lovers?_ ” Blue whispered, almost inaudible. I kept my eyes shut as I nodded to confirm. My heart was working extra hours. Again silence overtook our space which was usually a safe haven.

Maybe I ruined it now.

 

Then my friend did something unexpectedly. He stepped out of the car and I expected him to walk away. Only for me to watch him return via the back. He gestured me to join him on the backseat of his car. Without questioning I did so and then he confronted me.

 “It’s okay.”

He leaned in and pressed a quick smooch on my cheek. He might as well have given me a heart attack right there with that gesture of him. Clunky or not, he did that.

 “Whoa.”

“Whoa,” Blue grinned. Playful as I knew him. “Kissing pretty boys isn’t that bad.”

 “You-” I couldn’t find the right words in what I was feeling and experiencing right now.

“You can kiss me back. I’ll allow it. Only for now.”

Was he serious? From the looks of it, yes. So I decided to take my only, and probably last, chance.

His mouth wasn’t as soft as I expected but I wasn’t complaining. Not at all. Not at all.

The kiss wasn’t really a kiss. It was more like the awkward and desperate attempt to crash myself into him. I fell onto him with my whole weight. And eventually he had to push me off.

 “K-Karlus,” he breathed. I spotted red in his face. It was adorable.

 

**We ain't ever getting older**

**We ain't ever getting older**

 

I never thought I would be the one to initiate a kiss. Though it was short, it was still a short smooch.

Karlus hadn’t shaved so his cheek prickled. My friend was flabbergasted and all red in the face. It made me chuckle. He knew I was straight so this must’ve been as much of a surprise for him as it was for me.

 My own words also took me by surprise. “You’re allowed to kiss me back, you know.” I meant it. I was genuine. I didn’t care Karlus was a guy.

Karlus seemed hesitating at that. He didn’t know what to do so I kind of leaned closer to him. Then I felt his hand reaching for the back of my head. At first I thought he’d dive right in. He often told me that was his definition of ‘initiation kisses’. But Karlus didn’t.

Instead he carefully rested his hand on the back of my head, some of his fingers entangled with my hair. The scenario played out in front of me like a slow-mo shot Karlus came closer and closer and I felt light-headed until our lips finally met. A spark combusted in the pit of my stomach.

 I was dumbfounded.

And Karlus warmth and love seemed to pour into every inch of me. He’d set me on fire and my mind went blank. Only for it to be filled with Karlus. Karlus. Karlus. Karlus. His lips burning against mine, his name etched into my soul.

Karlus pulled me closer, intensifying our kiss, sharing the air or what was left of it. Once we were out of breath, we dared to part ways. I gave him a dazed look.

 “ _Hob_.”

My real name. Karlus barely used it anymore. So hearing it now, made my heart feel so much. I smiled at him and kissed him again. This time it was shorter but not less heartfelt.

I found myself unstoppable. One kiss after another. Short smooches, longer kisses. My face pressed against his. He playfully nipped at my lower lip, leaving me blushing like crazy.

 

We whispered each other’s name and I didn’t know kissing a guy could feel better than kissing girls. Karlus had redefined kissing for me. He’d overwritten my previous experience with it and taught me a new form, a new language. And I loved learning that language.  

 As clumsy as I could be, I spoke back in this new tongue.

My fingers awkwardly clutched onto his shirt as I pressed desperate kisses onto his neck and jaw.

 “Oh, _oh_ , _oh my_. I love you,” Karlus gasped.

I smiled but didn’t dare to say the same.

 

_I wish I had the courage to tell you something important too._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't handle the gay


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is, the final chapter :P  
> Told through Karlus' perspective.

**You look as good as the day I met you**  
**I forget just why I left you,**  
**I was insane**  
**Stay and play that Blink-182 song**  
**That we beat to death in Tucson,**  
**OK**

Maybe it was true I wasn’t thinking clearly anymore since I came in contact with the Eye Stealers.

But I was desperate to see Blue again. To see Hob. Years had passed without us really having contact anymore. Last time I tried to call him, his phone number had changed.

 And now I was in my car, on my way to him.

He lived in a friendly looking neighbourhood but there was something threatening in a way. Everything that looks too nice, hides some sort of secret.

 I kind of gulped when I realized it was Blue’s house that emitted that feeling of strangeness and danger. I wondered if it was because I was becoming an Eye Stealer.

I had met their King and he had offered me a place in his ‘kingdom’. I had laughed but decided to trust and follow him.

Now, I was pretty sure Blue wouldn’t be too happy about it if he knew I joined an eye eating group. But there was no real turning back for me. I had signed the ‘contract’. Over a few weeks, I’d offer one of my eyes to Miika, the man who declared himself King of the Stealers.

 

When Blue opened the door, all my worries washed away for a moment. It felt like Blue hadn’t aged that much. His hair had darkened though but it was still fluffy looking. It reminded me of that time we’d been in the car too long and I got his hair all messed up. Lovely moment.

I smiled and we hugged and then he led me inside. Everything in his house was blue. It was a funny sight but also hurt my eyes a little.

 “We have much to talk about, don’t we, Blue?”

“We sure have!” Blue grinned.

 

\--

 

I left with a bad feeling. Although my friend had encouraged me to follow my dreams, I felt sick. I kind of lied to him. I pretended that Eye Stealers were merely blind but powerful folks. I left the atrocious acts out of my story.

I didn’t want to scare and lose Hob. He was my friend, even if we didn’t see each other as much as we used to. Also, I wanted to protect him. It was horrible enough that his children were actually ghosts. That must change a person, I thought. Just as the Eye Stealers changed me. I got this eerie feeling I wasn’t fully myself anymore.

My mind went back to Hob. I didn’t want him to experience more supernatural things than ghosts. Dead people were already enough to deal with in one lifetime.

 

\--

 

Hob tried to convince me in the following days after my confession. I wasn’t surprised he figured out the truth. So he told me to quit the Eye Stealers.  He pleaded and pleaded. Heck, he even _begged_ me. He was choking on tears. I could hear it.

 It was unlikely for Hob to be so persistent. Normally he’d drop people if he saw there was no way saving them. If they had betrayed his trust. But I guess I was _that_ dear to him, that he kept trying. But with little success.

My transformation was fully in motion and there was no way stopping it.

 

I wished Hob was with me while I underwent that transformation. It wasn’t always fun. My eyes hurt and my skin became cracked and paler. I felt sore most of the time.

 “It’s all part of the process,” Sebastian, another Eye Stealer, told me. So I just went through with it all. I ain’t a quitter.

But I really wished to have Hob on my side. Maybe he could’ve given me advice. Maybe he could’ve helped me. But the opposite really happened.

 

He called me once. In the middle of the night. He was angry. I was sleepy and sick. His voice seemed distant. He was shouting at me.

 “Are you even listening?!”

“H-Hob?”

 “Idiot! You fucking idiot! You’re one of them now, aren’t you?!!”

“What?”

 “Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about! You’re an Eye Stealer!”

His bickering went on and on and it boomed in my ears. Suddenly it went silent on his side of the phone.  
 “ _Please_ , Karlus. Come back. Is there really no way to change your mind? Don’t become one of them.” Hob’s voice was softer than ever. I could basically _feel_ the hurt behind his sobbed words. Eventually he hung up and I felt like the biggest idiot in the world.

  
**I know it breaks your heart**  
**Moved to the city in a broke-down car**  
**And four years, no call**  
**Now I'm looking pretty in a hotel bar**  
**And I, I, I, I, I can't stop**  
**No, I, I, I, I, I can't stop**

 

Hob couldn’t stop me turning into an Eye Stealer and he couldn’t stop me from betraying his trust.

I didn’t deserve his love, no matter how much I loved him in return.

 

***

 

As part of my initiation ritual, I had to steal an eye. If done right, I’d be able to regain some of my cloudy vision. I’d finally be able to see properly again.

The more eyes I’d steal, the broader my vision would be. I could barely wait but the very fact of stealing someone’s eyes made it difficult. I didn’t get much guidance from other Eye Stealers.

I could easily prey on some unlucky passer-by in the midnight streets. Thus I went to the crowded city and waited and waited and-

 

I was driving again despite my bad sight. At first I wasn’t sure where I was headed to but then I realized. My trip led me to Mister Blue’s house. I arrived during noon. His car was parked outside. That was a good sign. At first I turned myself invisible, a big plus of being an Eye Stealer.

 I sharply inhaled, exhaled and knocked on the door.

The door opened with a creak. I couldn’t see who was in front of me but it certainly wasn’t the man I was looking for. I assumed it was one of his children.

 “Who are you?” the voice of a boy was heard.

“I’m looking for your daddy. Mister Blue? He’s an old friend of mine. Is he here by any chance?”

 “Daaad!”

I stiffened up as I heard footsteps approach. I couldn’t completely see his expression but my old friend was shocked. He grabbed me by the shoulder and dragged me inside.

 “Did others see you?” he hissed alarmed.

“I don’t think so becau-”

 “Good. People are already giving me strange looks. Elvis, please go upstairs with your other siblings. This… man and I need to talk.”

 

“I see I really couldn’t stop you.”

His whole air screamed disappointment.  He was slumped in his couch. I didn’t know what to say.

 “And this is why you never visited me anymore. You look like a total mess.”

“I thought you didn’t want to see me anymore,” I stammered. I should’ve kept my mouth shut.

Mister Blue shook his head and sighed. He tried to say something but stopped. Some time went by without any of us saying a thing.

Finally he spoke up. “Why are you here, Karlus? To say you’re finally sorry?” The latter was sarcastic as hell and I couldn’t blame him.

 “I-, I need to you to do me a favour,” I started.

“What?” Mister Blue jumped up. “A favour? What do you want me to do? Want me to give up my eye or something like that? I think this conversation is more than over.”

 “Well… Actually, yes?” I felt small. Oh so small. And he was actually a head smaller than me.

“ _Fuck. You.”_

Mister Blue pulled me off the chair and started pushing me toward the door. I stopped and grabbed one of his wrists.

 “Please, Blue.”

“Don’t fucking call me that anymore!” His eyes widened in anger and partially shock. He didn’t expect me to put up a fight, to resist.

 “But I need an eye. It won’t hurt! I’ll promise!” I lied. I had no idea if it would hurt. It would probably hurt like hell and back.

“Fuck off! Didn’t I tell you to just fuck off? We’re done for, Karlus. Or whoever is left of the man I loved.”

 

\--

 

The next two hours remained a mystery to me. All I saw of it was the gruesome aftermath. I claimed an eye. _His_ eye. Mister Blue’s-, no, Blue’s-, no, no, _Hob’s_ eye. He was slumped against one of the kitchen wall’s. There was a blood trail leading toward him. I stood in front of him and stared.

His right eye was gone. An empty, bleeding socket. The other eye was filled with tears and agony.

 “W-Why? Why? I-,” Hob was spluttering.

“Oh god. Oh god, oh god, _oh god_. This is no good. I’m-, I’m so sorry, Hob,” I stammered. Finally my true self shone through the mess I created and moulded myself into.

  He was bleeding and the blood was on my hands. Underneath my claws.

I stepped back in shock. I decided to call an ambulance before leaving like a coward.

 

\--

 

I added a second victim to my list and got an official status within the ranks of the Eye Stealers. The only thing I felt during my ceremony was pure shame.

I had totally crushed the trust Hob had in me. The last bit of hope he must’ve had for me, went up in flames as I attacked him. This was probably the worst betrayal possible. Another thing I hated, was that my feelings for him hadn’t changed that much. They had been subdued during my transformation phase yes, but they were never gone.

 I sat in my room, miserable and alone. I stared at my countless posters of my favourite band. In-between them, I spotted some Hammer posters and cards. Another grim reminder.

And there was of course the eye itself. I had regained a better vision but I was truly looking through my friend’s eye.

I wish I could just get rid of it but that would be a waste. Maybe I should return it. Although I doubt it was impossible to just transplant his eye. I doubted Hob would ever want to see me again.

 

\--

 

Against all odds, I decided to give him back his eye. I felt a bit better and wanted to apologize in a humoristic way. I’d put the eye in a nice, little black box people use to put wedding rings in.

That’s exactly what it was supposed to look like. With a wild beating heart I stood at the doorstep.

The man himself opened. He wore an eyepatch and looked pissed as fuck. He tried to throw the door into my face before I could say anything. It kind of reminded me of the day I met Hob for the first time.

This time I was faster and put my foot between him and the door. I hissed when he tried to crush my foot between the door.

 “What the fuck you want?”

“I-, I got you a g-gift. See it as an apology.”

Suspicious Hob peered at me with his intact eye before opening the door slightly. I quickly went down on my knee and offered him the box. My mind was going in overdrive. Although this wasn’t of course a serious proposal, it still had all the intensity of a real one.

  “Is that-, is that,” Hob was trembling. His head looked like it could explode any moment. Before I could process it, I got his foot right into my face.

 “ _YOU THINK THIS A GODDAMN JOKE, SANTÓS?!!_ ”

“Hob I can exp-” Another boot to the face and I landed all the way on the  sidewalk. I was probably bleeding but nothing could ever compensate with what Hob had gone through.

 “Don’t you ever dare come back into my fucking house! Leave me and my kids alone!”

With those words the door gets jammed shut and I can’t let myself physically get a step closer to his house anymore. It’s over.

 

\--

 

Shittier than ever, I tried to lock Hob out of my system. Doing so, was a difficult task. It was almost impossible to forget about the man I loved most. The man I had hurt most.

Hours turned to days and days turned to months. Before I fucked up we just didn’t have time to stay connected, now I knew Hob _didn’t_ _want_ to talk with me anymore. He had all the rights to and I wondered if I should really let him go or if I should try to make up for it. If I should retry, but being less idiotic as that horrible proposal bullshit I pulled.

 

\--

 

I decided to let him go. It was a horrible time and I was depressed most of that dark period in my life. I became a better Eye Stealer but every single day I got reminded of what I did to my best friend. It would be a physical scar forever.

 But things kind of settled down again. As I raised through the ranks, I got more freedom again. And with that, I stepped into the old shadow of my former self. I started to live again and became the outgoing extravert I used to be.

Luckily good memories of Hob remained in the back of my head. Or maybe I just tried to supress the bad ending we had.

 

***

 

Eventually, your past catches up to you again.

I decided to attend a concert after five years not attending one at all. Of course, the way I look now, I wouldn’t be able to go inside. So me being me _and_ an outstanding Eye Stealer, I turned invisible.

Alas, we can only stay invisible for so long. When I feel my camouflage fail on me, I try to retreat. It’s more difficult than expected. I have to pass a whole mass. Some people start to notice. They grumble or shriek in fear of my appearance.

 “Hey! Wait! Wait!” Someone yells at me. I pretend not to hear and keep moving forward. The exit is in near sight.

 “Come back, fucker!”

I hear more footsteps approach and I now, fully visible again, make my way to another exit. I end up in alley. Of course it has to be raining outside. I curse. Due to my expanded time of invisibility I’ve become weaker. Shit, this isn’t good.

 “There he is!”

All my eyes are pointed at the door. A group of five men have come out of the building. They’re up to no good.

 “What’s an ugly fuck like you doing here among humans?” one of them speaks up. The others yell and cheer their supposed leader on.

 “Come on now. Can I not just enjoy a gig in peace?” I try to laugh it off. The humans aren’t here to fool around, though. They inch closer. I get in my fighting stance but feel a shock of resistance go through my body. I see one of them has a taser. I gulp. Oh, this really is not good _at all_.

Before I can make a proper run to the fence, they stun me with that darn device. A horrible electric shock goes through my body but because I’m no longer a regular human, I can withstand it and my muscles still function. I keep climbing and fall against the concrete on the other side of the fence.

 “Get him! Get him!” the goons laugh wildly as they chase after me.

In pure panic I run through the streets. Traffic isn’t on my side and vehicles ferociously honk at me. I yell. The gang has found their way to me and are close on catching up on me. Blinded by panic and the loss of three eyes during my escape, I keep running and then I get hit by a car.

It’s the last drop that makes my bucket overflow. I crash to the street concrete. I hear someone step out and yell. One of my intact eyes is focused on the men chasing after me. They’re somewhere in the shadows of the rain.

 “Q-quick, they’re here t-too soon,” I gasp while coughing up blood.

“Who?”

 “T-Them,” I mutter to the voice in the distance. Then my vision turns to black completely. I didn’t expect being invisible for so long, would damage my body as much as it did.

 

By the time I wake up, my body feels less sore and I’m laying on something soft. I realize I’m in a bed. Confused I wonder where my eyes are located. I can take in my surrounding. I’m in a bedroom. The first thing that really stands out is the colour of the room: blue.

 My heart hesitates for a second.

No, there’s no way that I’m- A door gets opened and there he is. Mister fucking Blue. He walks over to my bed and stands in front of me with crossed arms.

I lower my eyes and especially his eye. I turn my head away in crushing shame. I never thought I’d face him again. Not here, not like this.

 

“Interesting to see you again, Karlus,” the man I wish I could forget, says. My mouth feels sewn shut. I don’t know what I should say. I can’t say ‘I’m sorry.’ It would feel so superficial, fake. Even though I mean it. I wish I could turn back time, could undo all the harm I did.

 “You don’t have to say anything,” he says.

I now look at him. Mister Blue looks away. Instead of going for the painful memories, I go with the current situation.

 “How did I get here?”

“I kind of caused you to be hit by a car. So then I took you home with me.”

 “T-That car was yours?” I stammer.

Mister Blue nods. “Yes. It was raining so much and I didn’t really expect you to show up again. At first I had to laugh, you know. Because I thought the pain I endured, could never be compensated so I wanted you to suffer as much as I did.”

 It leaves me speechless.

“Maybe I secretly wished I hit you that good, you’d die. But you didn’t. Nor did my feelings for- My wish to see you dead has died two years ago. Pretty dark of me, huh? To think that way?” He nervously chuckles. It’s affective and I chuckle along.

 “It’s okay… Hob. I kind of deserved to die the day I betrayed you. So why did you do this?”

“Why I saved you? I-, I don’t know… Like, I could’ve let you stay there. And I did fucking hesitate, you know. Even when you told me bad guys were coming I hesitated to just leave you there. But I couldn’t. I-, Karlus.. You took me by surprise. All those emotions, those feelings and memories and thoughts. It all came back to me. Just like that. And I just couldn’t leave you bleeding there. I’m not that kind of guy,” Hob rambles on and I just gawk at him. He is crying. His left eye is tearing up.

 I gulp. It hurts so much to see him.

“And now I’m here. Still alive,” I mutter. I now stare at my blanket spreading it underneath my fingers. Four years ago these fingers robbed my friend of his eye.

 “I’m grateful for that.”

I look up at Hob. He smiles. It’s meek but it’s there. I try to smile back but instead I cry.

 “Why? I don’t deserve this. You’re supposed to yell at me, scream. Maybe punch me again. N-not this,” I blubber. I feel pathetic.

 “I could say something mainstream like: ‘time heals all wounds’ but it really doesn’t. No, not at all. Maybe this wound has healed physically, but the internal pain never went away. But I learned to deal with it. And I gave it a place. Over time, it found its place along the other hurt.”

 Hob seems to be genuine in his words. He gives me an intimidate gaze. Is he waiting for me to say the same? I can’t.

 “You forgave me?”

“No. I doubt I can in all honesty, Karlus. My trust has been damaged beyond repair I fear. _But_ I want to move on. I won’t forgive nor forget but I want us to continue. I-, maybe there’s a way for us to start over.”

 My heart begins to beat faster. I straighten my back and look at Hob.

“Start over? T-that sounds nice. I mean, I- fuck, I can’t…”

Hob sighs and nods. “I see. I’ll leave you be for now. I’ll be in the living room if you need me.”

 

“Hob, _wait_.”

I strengthen myself and as confident and convincible as possible I tell him I’m so sorry.

 “I fucked up so hard, didn’t I? I ignored your warnings. I never listened to your concerns and worries. I sealed that deal, signed that contract and- I messed up so bad. So bad, I lost you and, and- I’m so sorry for what I’ve done. Even after I tried to forget about you and let you live your life, I just couldn’t move on. I just couldn’t and, shit. And now you decided to save me, even want us to continue and m-maybe start over. And I just don’t know what to say. This might sound like I’m tryna justifying my shitty decisions but I swear I don’t and-” I break down crying some more like the pathetic fool I am.

 With my eye sight disabled, I only feel Hob approach me and thud down. Then I feel his arms wrap around me. For a second I forget to breathe.

 “Hush, you big baby.”

“Idiot,” I mutter.

 “Learned from the best,” Hob chuckles. “Learned from the best.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, that was a difficult one. Because somehow these two idiots had to 'get together' again. Or somehow decrease their enemy status becos the events of ST woudln't make sense otherwise xD
> 
> Anyway, here's the 'total' chronology of their story:
> 
> 1) They become roommates and classmates. At first Blue isn't so fond of Karlus.  
> 2) They grow closer and become good friends  
> 3) In their final bachelor/master year, Blue moves to another city and they miss each other.  
> 4) The gay happens xD But to get things .... straight: Blue is canonically straight but with a very soft spot for his friend Karlus :')  
> 5) They graduate and live their own lives, separate from each other.  
> 6) Karlus somehow gets in contact with Eye Stealers, signs a 'contract' and decides to become one of them. In this time, Mister Blue is created  
> 7) Karlus reunites with Blue and tells him about the Eye Stealer thing. Blue is obv not happy about it and tries to stop Karlus but it's all in vain.  
> 8) Karlus fucks up more by stealing Blue's eye and not shortly after he fake proposes to him with the very eye he stole.  
> 9) They grow apart for real. They try to live their lives but with great difficulty  
> 10) 4 years pass and then the accident happens and Blue decides to save Karlus. Their relation is of course forever changed and they try to make the best of it. They give each other the much needed space and aren't much of friends anymore. But the initial hate in Blue has diminished for good.


End file.
